New Delhi, Upset over denial of ticket from Barrackpore parliamentary constituency in West Bengal, Trinamool strongman and MLA Arjun Singh on...

New Delhi, Upset over denial of ticket from Barrackpore parliamentary constituency in West Bengal, Trinamool strongman and MLA Arjun Singh on Thursday joined BJP in the presence of senior party leader Kailash Vijayvargiya. "I was upset in the manner, Mamata Didi (Trinamool supremo) questioned aerial strike. I was upset. What kind of leader I was working with for so long," Mr Singh told reporters at BJP headquarters here. Such a statement from Mamata Banerjee has especially "upset youth and women", he said lamenting that it became that Mamata Banerjee's politics singularly focused on garnering votes. "Mein kis vekti ke saath kaam kar raha hoon (Tell me what kind of a leader, I was working with?)," he said.

"It appeared she was not bothered about national interests....she was perhaps more concerned about safe guarding the vote bank," said Mr Singh, whose joining of BJP was delayed by two-three days after initial indication as he was 'called' by Trinamool leadership for consultation earlier this week. Mr Singh has in last two days had hinted about his displeasure with Trinamool Congress decision to field Dinesh Trivedi from Barrackpore. "People are angry with Mr Trivedi for his absence from the constituency. But the party (AITC) decided to give him the ticket again and we all were struggling this side. I have nothing to say," he has said.